Improvement in fastening-keys for coffins



'JQ HN HOMRIGHOUS.

Improvement in Fastening Keys for Coffins.

N0. 124,74 5. Patented March19, 187 2.-

UNITED JOHN HOMRIGHOUS, OF ROYALTON, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN FASTENING-KEYS FOR COFFINS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 124,745, dated March19, 1872.

- substitute for screws, used in fastening the lids of coffins, and forall similar purposes, whereby much time and annoyance may be saved; andit consists in a key, constructed and applied as hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 represents a vertical section,showing the key 1 applied to a coffin and the manner of its application,the section being taken on the line 00 x of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a top viewwith the key removed.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

I A represents the cover, and B the side or end of a coffin or box ofany kind. (l is the fastening-key. D is a plate, attached to the coverby small screws or-nails through which the key passes, and which formsan ornament or finish on the cover. E is the top part of the key, whichmay be of any form or size, so that the key may be turned either by thethumb and finger, or by a wrench or pin- Or- 'dinarily, the key would beconstructed as represented in the drawing, so that it could be turnedlike a thumb-screw. F is the shoulder,

and G is the shank of the key, which passes through the cover and entersthe side or end B the same as a common wood screw. H represents one ormore spurs, which project from the side of the shank near its end, asseen in Fig. 1. These spurs are preferably flat and sharp on one edge,and placed spirally on the shank, or like the threa of a screw, so thatwhen the key is turned e spurs will draw the key down and tighten thecover to the side, the same as would be done by turning down a screw.

To apply the key in this manner, a hole is bored through the top orcover and in the side or end, and then a channel, I, is cut in one sideof the hole of sufficient size to admit the spurs. The channel isseen-in Fig. 2, extending through the plate D. WVith the hole thus 4prepared the key may be dropped into it, and

when it is turned, the spur or spurs will'penetrate the wood and act thesame as a screwthread to draw the parts of the coffin, box, or otherarticle, together. The lower edge of the obliquely-placed spur issharpened or made thin, so that it will readily penetrate the wood.Ordinarily, the spur or spurs will be placed so that the key would beturned to the right to fasten, and to the left to unfasten. One-fourthof a revolution will do either. A great saving of time is thus eifected,when the time required for driving screws with a screw-driver isconsidered.

I do not confine myself to the precise form or arrangement of the partsdescribed, nor to any particular use or purpose as regards theapplication of the key, but design it more especially as acoffin-fastening.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Pat ent- The key (),with a shoulder, F, and one or morespurs, H, arranged substantially as and for the purposes described.

. JOHN HOMRIGHOUS.

Witnesses M. H. MIEssE,

WM. L. GLEMENTs.

